Fall Moments

Fall's slowly starting to end and winter is beginning. Yesterday, it was absolutely frigid and we stayed inside all day long. As the warmer Fall days begin to dwindle, we'll have to really take advantage and head outside every opportunity we have. Inside time won't be too difficult, because I've been stocking up my Pinterest with crafty ideas and am eager to drink hot tea and cider every night and bundle up with Zak and Odin for any short venture we may have. There's nothing more rewarding than taking a winter walk and coming back home and shedding those layers, basking in the comfort of our gigantic bed. What are your favorite winter activities? 

sometimes I'm not the greatest mumma.

When I was pregnant (before we knew Odin was Odin!), I had made a promise to myself to avoid screen time for at least the first 5 years. We don't have a TV and Zak and I will watch our fair share of movies on the computer, but always after Odin falls asleep. In the past few months, I have found myself on more than one occasion putting a movie on for little O or handing him my phone to play with. It usually happens when I'm beyond exhausted and have tried my best to keep up with my wild boy. 

Sometimes I lay in bed and try with all my might to keep Odin in bed with me so that I don't have to chase. Piles of books and other distractions to keep him occupied so I can lay there with my eyes closed for just a few more moments.

Now, I realize that these things really aren't so bad, but it just makes me think about how differently I thought I would be pre-baby! Parenting is hard work and being a stay at home mom is so physically and emotionally exhausting. Giving your all to another little human being is tiring! What are some of the things you swore you wouldn't do, but now give a little leeway to?

Didymos

We've played around with wraps a little, but not too much. I'm so grateful we were able to play around with this beauty from Purple Elm Baby. I am definitely a fan of Didymos now, like I always knew I would be! Their patterns are just beyond lovely and it wraps like a dream. I'm pretty lazy (or as I like to say it, "busy") so I'm so glad that we tried a shorter wrap. Wrapping takes time, but allows for a huge variety of carries. I very shortly owned a Girasol Deag, but it was a 6 and was a little too long for me. There was always so much extra fabric and I was easily overwhelmed. This one is a size 4, which I think may be my perfect wrap size. A friend is passing along a hemp and linen blend for me to try which I'm very excited about. I'm eager to see the differences in carrying a large toddler!

Kittens, Week 5

The kittens are all getting very big and very active. They're almost ready to go to their new homes, but I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye. These little cuties run amuck at all hours and it's very endearing. I'm going to miss laying in bed and having kitten after kitten jump the couch and wrestle all over us. I've grown so attached to each and every one, not like it's hard to fall in love with a pile of kittens. 

Zak's Birthday

This year, I planned a surprise birthday for Zak and had all of our friends meet up at the Brewery for the festivities. I love all of our friends and am always so happy to see them all together and hanging out with Odin (he loves every one of them too). I've previously mentioned about how great the Brewery is for hanging out. There are loads of toys for kids to play with and dogs are always welcome. It was a really amazing day and one of those times that I'm particularly grateful for this beautiful community I've stumbled into. 

Halloween

We had a very mellow Halloween this year. We had pretty epic plans, but Odin refused to wear his costume so we had to scrounge around and find some piratey looking clothes for him to wear. Next year, though, we're going all out!

fitting in

As my little baby quickly transforms into a little boy, we're finding ways to fit him in alongside our daily routines in a much different way than we used to. We rarely used our high chair anyway, so giving that away was simple. After about six months in our apartment, we finally found a decently sized wooden card table to use as our dining room table. Odin loves sitting in his own chair with his own plate, silverware, and cup. He's now drinking out of a regular cup with few spills, which makes me a pretty proud mumma. 

Another recent addition has been his little art desk set up alongside mine. I've been wanting to set one up for him for months and am so glad to have finally found the time. With a little inspiration from his mumma every twenty minutes or so, we're actually able to sit in the studio together and I've been able to get small projects or bits of bigger projects done. Not to mention, miniature things are adorable and having his own studio space melts my heart.